Q & A: Talking with Nikki Sixx

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Two decades after he beat a drug addiction that nearly killed him, the Mötley Crüe bassist's graphic journal, The Heroin Diaries, is a best seller.

Did you expect your book to land on the New York Times best-seller list? I had no expectations for the project. But itŐs a nice feeling when you do something completely from a selfless place and then you see it connect with people.

Why did you decide to publish such a personal account?
It's been 20 years since I was an addict, and it seems almost like I was another person; it was an­other life. I wanted to show that human beings, no matter what the adversity, can survive.

What do you tell your four kids about your past?
There are no pink elephants in our family. We talk. My job as a parent is no different from my job as an author. You need to tread lightly and show experience and options. I could chain my kids to a wall, and if there's something they want to do, they'll figure out how to do it.

How did it feel to speak on Capitol Hill about drug awareness?
I don't get nervous very often, and I was actually nervous for that. But that's part of being alive. It's exciting for me to find new things where I think, God, I hope I can do this.